Fuel-regulating device for burners



0. SPAHR.

FUEL REGULATING DEVICE FOR BURNERS.

APPLlcATloN FILED FEB.1,1911.

Patented Mar. 30, 1920.

OTTO SPAHR, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

FUEL-REGULATING DE'iCE FOR BURNERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Main, 1920.

Application led February 7, 1917. Serial No. 147,057.

To f/Z aaa-710221. it may concern Be it known that 1, U'rro Srnrir., a citizen of the llnited States, and resident of Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia. State `of Fennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Fuel-Regulating Devices for Burners, of which the following is a specification.

Hy invention relates to burners and more particularly to burners in which a gaseous fuel is used.

n burners of this kind it is desirable to provide a means whereby the supply of fuel to the air hood or mixing chamber 'or its pressure or bot-h may be regulated to produce the most efficient results in the burner under all conditions. It is further desirable in order to secure the most efficient operation of the burner with a minimum expenditure of fuel that the iiovv of the fuel be maintained in a straight stream parallel with the axis of the gas or fuel passage at all st. of adjustment. My invention has for i object to provide an improved and sin1pliiied regulating device whereby the above advantages may be obtained in an efficient and satisfactory manner. Other objects of my improvement will appear from the description hereinafter and the features of novelty Will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings Which show examples of my improvement for illustrative and descriptive purposes Figure 1 is an elevation showing my invention applied to a Bunsen burner; Fig. 2 is a detail elevation thereof on an enlarged scale and partly in section; Fig. 3 is a similar vienr with the parts in a different position; Figs. 11 and 5 are horizontal sections on the lines 4 4 and 5 5 of Figs. 2 and 3 respectively -Fi g. 6 is a detailed sectional view of another form of my improvement; Fig. 7 a plan view showing my improvement combined with an ordinary Iincandescentgas burner the regulating device having been omitted for illustrative purposes; and Fig. 8 is a section on the line .8 8 of Fig. 7

In Figs. 1 to 5 I have shown, by way of example,v a Bunsen burner which may be of any Well known type and comprise the eustoinary burner tube 10 detachably connected with the member 11 which in turn Ais mounted upon a base 1Q preferably so as to be detachable therefrom. The member 11 includes the usual air hood or mixing chamber 13 which communicates with the tube greater than the diameter 10 and is provided with the customary air inlets lt, and may further be formed at its vlower end With an internally screinthreaded recess for the accommodation of the externally screw-threaded tubular neck 15 which in this case comprises the means whereby the Bunsen burner and base 12 are detachably combined. rlhe tubular neck 15 communicates With a pipe 16 carried by the base 12 and provided With a projectingnipple 17 adapted to receive one end of a flexible hose or the like whereby the Bunsen burner is connected with a source of fuel supply. The member 11. as shown, is provided vvith a gas or fuel passage 1S which at its one end is connected with the air hood or mixing chamber 13 and at its other end communicates with the tubular neck 15 and through the latter and the pipe 1G with the source of fuel supply. The exit end 19 of the passage 18 comprises a nozzle aperture through which the fuel such a gas. streams intro the air hood or mixing chamber 13 Where it becomes mixed with air in the usual manner and from which it passes into the burner tube 10. The arrangement so far described may be that of any Well known type of Bunsen burner and may include any additional elements or features which may commonly form part thereof.

In'the illustrated example shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, the member 11 is formed with a recess 2O which extends transversely to and communicates With the fuel passage 18, said recess 2O terminating at its inner end in registry with an intermediate point of said passage, the illustration in Figs. 1 to 5' inclusive showing said inner end in registry with the axial center line of said passage, it being understood that this is not arbitrary. At its outer end the said recess 20 communi- Gates with an internally screw-threaded ehamber'Ql, the outer end of which is externally open and located in the outer surface of said burner. In the preferred arrangement the diameter of the recess 20 is of the passage 18 in which case shoulders 22 are formed at the inner end of said recess as shown best in Figs. 4 and 5. 1n any ease, the vdiameter of said recess 20 is preferably not lessthan the diameter of said passage 18, the purpose of which ivill'appear more fully hereinafter.

A plunger 23 is located in said recess 20 and is of a diameter to snugly tit the same Without being actually bound therein, said and plunger plunger 23 in the illustrative example forming the terminating inner end of a screw 24 which is in operative connection -with the screw threads of the chamber 21 and extends exterior-ly thereof. At its outer end the screw 24 carries a member 25 provided with an operating head 26 whereby the screw 24 23 may be manipulated as shown in the drawings. The diameter of the plunger 23 which fits the recess 2O is thus also not less than that of the passage 18 and is preferably greater than the latter. The common axis of the plunger 28 and screw projects at a right angle to the axis of the fuel passage 18 and the free end face 23a of the plunger is fiat and extends parallel to the axis of said passage 18 and to its inner surface in a vertical direction as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. If desired, a coil spring 27 may be located between the member and the burner to prevent the parts from being unintentionally disturbed by vibrations or from other causes after an adjustment has taken place.

In practice, by manipulating' the head 26, the screw 24 will be rotated in the chamber 21 whereby the plunger 28 will be moved transversely to the fuel passage 18 and toward or away from the therecf, according to the direction of rotation of said screw'24. Thus by screwing the plunger 23 inwardly the area. or width of the passage 18 will be reduced at a given point to form a reduced channel 18. The inward movement of the plunger 23 may be continued until the end face 23il engages the shoulders whereupon further inward movement of said plunger is `arrested and the complete closing of the passage 18 thereby is prevented. If the conditions require a reduced channel 18a of greater width, the inward adjustment of the plunger 23 may be stopped before the end face 23a contacts with the shoulders 22, the illustrated arrangement thus providing for any adjustment of the fuel passage between a point corresponding to its full width and some point intermediate of its full width other than a fullyY closed position. In all adjustments of the plunger 23 within its range of operation, the continuity of the reduced open channel 18a in a straight, unbroken line is preserved without any interruption and said reduced channel always extends parallel with the axis of the fuel passage .18.

Vith this arrangement the vflow of the gas is always in a stream parallel with the axis of the fuel passage and of the burner tube and without deflections in said stream of fuel. In addition to this, there is no undesired interference with the pressure of the fuel and as the regulatingdevice is located in close proximity to the exit end of the passage 18, a maximum pressure is always assured at the nozzle aperture 19. In other words, the fuel after it passes through the channel 18a, does not expand in the fuel passage so that the desired velocity is also maintained in said stream of fuel after it leaves the nozzle aperture 19.

By fitting the plunger 28 snugly within the recess 20 and by having the diameter of said plunger never less than that of the fuel passage 18 the escape of fuel around said plunger is absolutely prevented and a fuel tight construction is provided. In addition to this, by constructing the plunger with a diameter which is never less than th at of the fuel passage, the inward movement of said plunger is arrested at an intermediate point in said passage to prevent the latter from being totally out off. If the diameter of the plunger 23 is greater than that of the fuel passage 18, as is preferred, shoulders will be formed as at 22 in the illustration, which serve to arrest the inward adjustment of said plunger as described.

In order that the plunger 23 may be returned to a predetermined position in the passage 18 other than in contact withk the shoulders 22 or their equivalents, I prefer to provide an adjustable means of a suitable type adapted to cooperate with the plunger or its connected parts to arrest theinward movement thereof; this adjustable mea-ns, in the preferred arrest the extreme inward movement of said plunger, so that even though the shoulders 22 may be present in a'construction, and capable of performing the function they are not relied upon alone to act as stops. In the illustration, this means comprises a screw 28 mounted upon the burner in such a inanner that its head 29 forms an adjustable stop located in the path of the head 26 of the screw 24, Thus, by properly adjusting the screw 28, the head 29 may be positioned so as to Contact with the head 26 at the moment when the end 23a of the plunger 23. reaches the shoulders 22, whereby the inward movenient of said plunger is arrested through the coperation of the heads 26 and 29 and the shoulders 22 are relieved Vof, this function. If, on the other hand, the screw 28 is set for instance, as illustrated in Fig. 3,

the ,head 26 of the screw against the head 29 as the said screw 24 is manipulated to adjust the plunger 28, will arrest the inward adjustment of said plunger before its end 23a shoulders 22. This arrangementthus pro- 24 by abutting vides an adjustable means whereby the plunger' may always be returned to Va fixed point, represented either by the shoulders 22 or by some point at a. distance therefrom without the necessity for carefullinanipulaion of the parts. In this way, regulation to provide the proper mixture and to prevent the formation of explosive mixtures and back fire may be had in a simple and elliconstruction, is also used toV contacts with the L cient manner. ln other words the supply of fuel may always be regulated, for instance, in harmony with the inside diameter of the tube 10 in the case of Bunsen burners and otherwise 'to secure the same results in other' types of burners. lf desired, the adjustable stop 29 may also be used to arrest the outward iovement of the screw and plunger to prevent complete separation from the burner in whicn case the member 26 may be formed with an annular flange 3() adapted to engage the head 29 in the outward movement of the screw 21% and plunger 23 as will be readily apparent.

lilith the described arrangement, the adjustable stop performs the double function of arresting the inward and outward movements of the plunger 9.3 and its connected parts relatively to the burner 11, it being understood that this is only an example and that other devices may be substituted.

ln the form shown in Fig. 6 the recess 12() which corresponds to the recess Q0, instead of terminating in approximate registry with the axial center line of the passage 18, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, has the inner end of its cylindrical portion located somewhat beyond this point. ln addition to this, the inner end of said recess 120, instead of being` straight as in Figs. 2 and 3, is continued and tapered or otherwise shaped in an equivalent manner to produce a pocket 120L beyond the inner end of the cylindrical portion of said recess 120. lilith this arrangement any foreign matter such as dirt or the like which may have become lodged in the recess 120 is propelled along as the plunger 23 is moved inwardly and is finally deposited in the pocket 120L from which it may be blown or otherwise removed at will. TWith this arrangement there is therefore no possibility that the recess 120 itself will become clogged or that the intended operation of the plunger 23 will be interfered with; furthermore, the passage 18 and reduced passage 181 are maintained free from foreign matter.

llVhile the terminating end of the cylindrical portion of the recess '19.0 will act in the nature of a shoulder to arrest the eX- treme inward movement of the plunger' Q3 in the same way as is done by the shoulders 22, it is preferred to also provide this form with the adjustable stop composed for instance of the screw 2S and its head 29. Otherwise, the construction and operation of this form of my improvement may be the same as that of the form first described, it being understood that all of the advantages hereinbefore referred to and setforth are also present in this second form.

ln Figs. 7 and 8, I have shown my iinprovement applied to a burner of the type customarily used in connection with mantles and incandescent gas lamps; in these figures the plunger 23, and connected and coperating parts, have been omitted for illustrative purposes. T he operation of the parts and the advantages resulting from their use are the same in this form asin the form first described. y

My improvement is extremely simple in construction and cflicient in operation and provides an improved means whereby the efficiency of a burner is increased to a. maximum extent. lt will be understood that my improvement may be operatively combined with burners other than those shown and described, with equal efficiency.

Various changes in the forms shown and described may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. A fuel regulating device for burners comprising a member having a fuel passage free from projections extending inwardly thereof and a plunger' movable transversely into said passage for adjusting the crosssectional width thereof, the inner cross-sectional form of that portion of said passage whichr Aregisters with said plunger coperating therewith to arrest the inward movement of said plunger whereby the complete closing of said fuel passage is automatically prevented.

2. A. fuel regulating device for burners comprising a member having a fuel passage, means movable transversely into said passage for adjusting the cross-sectional width thereof, the inner cross-sectional form of that portion of said passage which registers with said adjusting means being such as to arrest the inward movement thereof whereby the complete closing of said passage is automatically prevented and an adjustable device located exteriorly of said passage whereby an inward movement of said adjusting means may be arrested prior to its stoppage by said first mentioned means.

3. A fuel regulating device for burners comprising a member having a fuel passage of circular cross-section and free from projections extending inwardly thereof, a plunger movable transversely into said passage to adjust its width, said plunger having a flat end face extending parallel with the major axis of said passage and having a cross-sectional dimension not less than that of the passage, the inner cross-sectional form of that portion of said passage which registers with said plunger coperating therewith to arrest the inward movement of said plunger at an intermediate point whereby complete closing of the passage is automatically prevented and means for manually actuating said plunger.

l. A fuel regulating device for burners comprising a member having a fuel passage and a transverse recess of greater' diameter than said passage extending radially into the same and forming diametrically opposite shoulders extending radially outward from said passage at an intermediate point, a plunger fitting said recess and movable transversely into said passage to adjust its width, said shoulders arresting the inward movement of said plunger whereby complete closing of said passage thereby is automatically prevented and means extending exteriorly of said burner for manipulating said plunger.

5. A fuel regulating device for burners comprising a member having a fuel passage, means for adjusting the width of said passage, an adjustable stop and a plurality of means on said adjusting means coperating with said stop to arrest the inward and the outward movements of said adjusting means.

6. A fuel regulating device for burners comprising a member having a fuel passage and a transverse recess communicating therewith7 a plunger fitting said recess and movable transversely into said passage to adjust its width, said plunger having a flat end face extending parallel with the axis of said passage, a screw carrying said plunger and extending exteriorly of said member, an operating head on said screw, an annular flange on said. screw at a distance from said head, and an adjustable stop cooperating with said head and flange respectively to arrest the inward and outward movements of said plunger.

7. A. fuel regulating device for burners comprising a member having a fuel passage and a transverse recess extending into said passage and forming shoulders therein at an intermediate point, a plunger fitting said recess and movable transversely into said passage to adjust its width, said plunger being arranged to engage said shoulders whereby its inward movement is arrested7 a screw carrying said plunger, a head for manipulating said screw and an adjustable stop cooperating with said head to arrest the inward movement of said plunger before it engages said shoulders.

8. A fuel regulating device for burners comprising a member having a fuel passage and a cylindrical continuous recess extending transversely into same, said recess hav-V ing a continuing pocket at its inner end, a plunger fitting said recess and movable transversely into said passage to adjust its width, said plunger having an end face differing in form from the shape of said pocket and being incapable of fully entering said pocket, and means for arresting the inward movement of said plunger at an intermediate point in said passage.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand. j

OTTO SPAHR. v 

